The Pichler 2007 Riesling Smaragd Achleiten is voluminous, subtly oily in texture, and generously ripe despite only 13.3% alcohol. It also displays the brightness, clarity and vivacity that characterize the best of this vintage. Peach, lime, tangerine, bitter-sweet cassis and huckleberry and a greenhouse-like sense of foliage and flowers combine for a superbly concentrated, virtually sizzling display that reflects both the subtle desiccation that affected these grapes in 2007 and the inevitably somewhat mysterious but unmistakable mineral character of this site that seems to shimmer through folds of fruit much like the gneiss striations of the vineyard itself. Plan to follow this for at least 6-8 years. Pichler’s 2007s differ very little in gross chemistry from his 2006s – including the high alcohol of several Gruner Veltliner – yet they have dramatically different personalities. Pichler compares them with his 1997s, and perhaps time in bottle will more clearly bear out that high praise. Rudi Pichler is a great believer in watchfully letting nature take its course and although some of his 2007s came in with pH levels many growers would consider alarmingly high he gave no thought to adjusting them, and the finished wines bear him out, displaying the vivacity and freshness typical of 2007.Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700